Corran Addison. Soul snowboards.

2 Gear used: boards , bindings , boots, helmet , goggles and clothing.
Started with a Hot in 1992. Rode pro for Nitro, then Oxygen and finally started my own company, Riot in 1997.
Use exclusively Bomber TD for carving.Soul Snowboards
I’m a test rider for Burton for accessories.
I’m still sponsored by Sweet Helmets as well.

3 How long have you been hard-boot snowboarding.
I Started on a Burton Safari in 1990, then switched to a Hot in 1992.

4 Why hard-boots?
I saw someone carving down the mountain on one when I was in the chair lift and I immediately knew I wanted to ride like that.
In North America it was very unusual to see a hard booter.
In all the sports I do, I’ve always loved speed and precision (I was a 1992 Olympic slalom kayaker).

5 What do you think about new race board tecnologiy: Camber, rocker, taper, multi radius sidecut, materials (such as carbon fiber and titanium) , and race plates.
Some I like, some I don’t. I don’t race, so this means I don’t need a forgiving board.
I’m not in a situation where mili seconds count, and errors must be kept to a minimal.
I can completely blow out a turn, regroup, and just keep carving away down the mountain.
So some of the new design features that make racing more predictable (and therefore faster) I don’t enjoy for hard charging carving.
I don’t like the weight of the plates, and don’t need the nose rocker.
But many of the other advances are fantastic and modern boards are truly spectacular.

6 What could help the raise interest in hard-boot snowboarding.
Cost.
Thats the number one deterrent.
The equipment costs too much for many who only would like to try it in passing.
With the new performance of the soft board carvers, this makes the task even harder as the new boards really do carve very well (not like “freecarve" boards from the late 1990-early 200 which were really junk).

7 What training techniques do you use?
I don’t race anymore, so I don’t train.
I just go slice the slope into a thousand pieces.

8 What would you say to someone who’s just getting started in hard boots?
Seriously, give it a try…
It’ll add a new dimension to your local mountain, especially if you live somewhere with marginal conditions (not a lot of terrain or powder).

9 What advice would you give someone who’s been riding for some time?
Talk your friends into trying it.
Take them to the mountain. help them feel those sensations.

10 Tell us something that we haven’t asked.
Dont confuse racing with carving.
Very few people are interested in racing.
If you focus on this you’ll alienate people.
Focus on sensations – like anything you do snowboarding (or in life) it's about the sensations, and hard boot riding gives you sensations multiplied x2.
Hard boot riding will make you a better all mountain rider – a better overall snowboarder.